Just Dance

Dance seems to be everywhere these days and this high energy activity is not quitting! Dance has been the centre of attention in shows like America's Best Dance Crew, Dance Moms, and So You Think You Can Dance. With new shows Bunheads and Breaking Pointe, ballet is being put on a pedestal in two very different lights! Whether it's just the start of your dance career or you're in the thick of trying to land your stand out role, Bunheads and Breaking Pointe will satisfy your craving for poetry in motion. When the dance floor calls, you better come running!

If you haven't caught an episode of the new CW show Breaking Pointe then you're missing out on sheer beauty. Ballet is taken to a whole other level by the dancers of Ballet West! Viewers are given a behind the curtain look at the hard work, dedication, blood, sweat and tears that the dancers of this Salt Lake City company put into their performances. Misconceptions about diets, age, sexualities, and attitudes are shattered along with dancers' hopes and dreams at times as well. Shot in an incredibly sharp, provocative, and cinematic look, the show provides drama, artistry, and heart that amps up each and every episode. Dancers struggle with the challenges of landing lead and principal parts, long distance relationships, dating within the studio, and making ends meet. The bold and the beautiful are all laid out for you and gives viewers a shocking and true look at sacrifices and struggles of men and women in the industry. Sacrifice is a necessary evil and victims fall prey to its torments on a daily basis. Watch as the ballerinas of Ballet West navigate life, love, and art for the sake of dance.

ABC Family's new show Bunheads takes a different, much less in depth look at this energetic activity, but still keeps dance as a perfect partner to its storylines. Centering around a disheveled and dismayed Vegas dancer named Michelle (Sutton Foster) who has had it with not landing lead roles in shows. She impulsively marries a man named Hubbel and moves to a sleepy California coastal town and quickly realizes that she is in over her head and out in the middle of nowhere. It's there she meets her mother-in-law Fanny Flowers (Kelly Bishop) who teaches young ballerinas, or bunheads, the art of ballet and dance. The girls face the ever present challenges of trying to be top dancer and honing their skills on a much smaller competition level. Michelle spends her time teaching the girls to let loose and make the dance their own, promoting a bit more freedom over traditions. She also knows a thing or two about the audition process which can be completely brutal. Meanwhile, Fanny is old school, more traditional, and she focuses the girls on keeping within the confines of the art. While the show's story lines so far have taken precedence over the focal point of dance, the ladies get in their fair share of showcasing moves and learning lessons that can help them in their dance careers and in life, much like Breaking Pointe does. Michelle serves as a mentor to the girls and teaches them that at times, it's all right to dance outside the lines.

The art of dance is a cruel and un-tameable mistress and can leave dancers in the dust. Whether you're struggling to get your foot in the door, your feet on the floor, or to keep your spot on top, Bunheads and Breaking Pointe will give you a look at what lies beyond the ballet slippers and leotards. Point your toes, hit your mark, keep in line, and tune in weekly to these thrilling shows that keep the art of dance at its finest.